Dhingra Commission report gives BJP ammo to target Congress

As the battle for Delhi hots up, the BJP has mounted an attack on the Congress for its alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The party has cited the Justice Dhingra Commission's report to target the Congress.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said it is not correct to call it a riot, rather it was one sided killings. It was a pogrom.

Javadekar said, "Justice Dhingra commission has submitted its report. The report has revealed the truth behind the 1984 riots. The report said the Congress did not act against its leaders involved in the riots, rather protected them."

The report was submitted to the government on Thursday.

On a question from if any action will be taken on the basis of the report, Javadekar said, "Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said in the court that action will be taken on the basis of the report, as the government recognises the report."

He added that "Two-three things are clear from this report, which concludes that there was never a fair probe into the riots in which over 3000 Sikhs were massacred or burnt alive. Their houses were looted or vandalised. The then prime minister had legitimised this by saying 'when a big tree falls, earth shakes'. So it is clear the hand of Congress was behind those who committed this horrific crime."

Javadekar said the Dhingra Commission's report in its findings cites various examples to drive home the point that the top Congress leaders were given a free hand to unleash terror on Sikhs. "In Sultanpur, about 500 incidents of violence took place. Houses were burnt, hundreds were killed. But only one FIR was filed for all the incidents and only one police official was assigned to probe the 500 plus incidents of violence."

( With inputs from IANS )